President Paul Kagame on Thursday, April 30, chaired an extraordinary cabinet meeting that assessed Rwanda’s progress in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cabinet resolved to partially ease the lockdown with the following 10 guidelines that must be followed for 15 days from Monday, May 4, when they take effect.

Businesses to resume operations

Public and private businesses will resume operations on Monday, May 4. However, only essential staff are to operate from the workplace while others are to continue working from home.

Hotels and Restaurants to close at 7 p.m.

Hotels and restaurants will are open to clients. However, bars will remain closed.

A curfew between 8 p.m., and 5 a.m.

All movement after 8 p.m. in banned unless you have special permission. The curfew will last up to 5 a.m.

Public and private transport

Operators of public transport such as buses can start their engines on Monday, May 4 but have to ensure social distancing for their passengers. This means that they will have less than their usual carrying capacity to be compliant. Moto bikes will not be allowed to carry passengers but can ferry goods. Private transport will also resume but restricted to the same city.

Schools and churches remain closed

Students will remain closed till September 2020. Worshipers will also have to wait a little longer before they can congregate in their respective places of worship as they will remain closed. Meetings in public spaces and mass gatherings are also prohibited.

Individual sporting activities allowed, gyms to remain closed

Do you jog? Fitness enthusiasts will from Monday, May 4, have the liberty to carry out individual sporting activities in open spaces between 5 a.m., and 8 p.m. However, gyms and other recreation/sporting facilities will remain closed.

Limit to funeral participants

Funeral gatherings shall not exceed 30 mourners. Previously, a maximum of 20 people were allowed to attend funerals

Borders closed

The country’s borders will remain closed except for cargo to allow imports and exports. Rwandans returning home and legal residents will also be allowed into the country. However, they will be subjected to a 14-day mandatory isolation/quarantine.

Intercity travel banned

Travel from one province to another is still prohibited.

Manufacturing and Construction to resume

Construction projects and manufacturing has been given the go-ahead to resume works. However, with only essential staff and ensuring the protection of workers

In addition to the above guidelines, the Cabinet also instructed the wearing of masks in public and the strict other protective guidelines including social distancing.

Elias Hakizimana

Elias Hakizimana, CEO&Founder of The Inspirer Ltd,(www.rwandainspirer.com) is a professional Rwandan Journalist with Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Communication, received from University of Rwanda’s College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) in 2014. He served various media houses in Rwanda including Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) in 2013 and became passionate with English Online and Print Media Publications where he exercised his talent as a Freelance News Reporter for The New Times, The Independent, The Rwanda Focus, Panorama and more before he became a Self-Entrepreneur as the CEO and Founder of The Inspirer Limited in early 2017.